U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,962, issued to Domkowski, discloses a coin security system for use in vending machines, which includes an upper coin inlet portion (housing) a lower (portable) coin storage portion, and a mounting assembly (also portable) engaging the storage portion. Coins are deposited into a vending machine and a selection of merchandise is made. The coins pass through a series of stations in the machine which totalize and register a credit for the merchandise. The coins then pass into the coin security system, through the upper coin inlet housing and into the lower coin storage portion.
The upper inlet housing is adapted for securing in place in a vending machine, and includes a first locking mechanism engaged by a first key, for locking the lower coin storage portion into a receiving position on the upper inlet housing. When the first key is turned to remove the portable storage portion, there is a corresponding movement of an internal closure mechanism which operates to close off the storage container. This closure mechanism involves cooperation between elements of the upper inlet housing and the mounting assembly engaged to the portable storage portion. Thereafter, between the time the storage portion is removed from the vending machine and the time it reaches headquarters for emptying, it is not possible to insert or remove coins from the storage portion. The coins contained in the storage portion are thereby protected from pilferage during transportation.
Once the storage portion reaches headquarters, a second key is engaged to a second locking mechanism in the mounting assembly in order to release the contents of the storage portion. Thereafter, the storage portion can be emptied, returned to the vending machine and replaced.
The foregoing security system has been quite effective in protecting coins from pilferage after they have been deposited into the storage container and while the storage container is being transported from the vending machine to headquarters. However, there are still three potential kinds of pilferage which may cause problems from time to time. First, a cunning route man may remove a full coin storage container from the housing without immediately replacing it with an empty one, allowing some coins to fall through the housing and to the floor of the inside of the vending machine. Second, a route man may succeed in "jimmying" the lock of a removed coin storage container, or in obtaining an extra key. Third, some pilferage may occur at headquarters, after an authorized person has unlocked the portable coin storage container. These kinds of pilferage are difficult to detect, and may go unnoticed.